Guinea Pig
by broadwaypants
Summary: Sonny tries to create new slushies, Pete tries to remember why he agreed to try them, and Nina tries not to laugh at them.


_It's been a while since I tortured... I mean, wrote about our friends from _In the Heights_. So here's a SonnyxPete friendship fic for you._

_Still not a self-proclaimed 'ugly songwriter who can't get girls to notice him.'_

* * *

"Here, try this one then," Sonny shoved the plastic cup towards the other boy, an eager grin on his face. He snatched the other cup from the counter and dumped it in the trash bin, dropping the criticism along with it.

"Dude, this is like, the sixth one," Graffiti Pete raised an eyebrow, sticking out his now multi-colored tongue to emphasize this point.

"So?" Sonny's spirits were not dampened. "I know I'm gonna get it someday."

"Get Usnavi to try one," Pete argued, pressing his index fingers on either side of his head and moving them in small circles. "I think I'm gonna get permanent brainfreeze if I try another."

"No you won't," Sonny rolled his eyes. "Come on, just one more. Last one, I–"

He abruptly stopped speaking, a funny, lopsided grin spreading across his face and his cheeks turning pink. Pete frowned, then, hearing the bell on the bodega's door tinkle, figured out what had made Sonny go quiet. Turning, Pete saw a familiar, smiling face.

"Hey, Pete," Nina's smile widened and she enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug, which he barely had time to return before she released him. "How's the business going?"

"I got three commissions this month," Pete said proudly, his chest puffing out slightly.

"Nice," Nina nodded approvingly. "You'll have to make me something I can hang in my dorm before I leave, kay?"

"You got it," Pete nodded, absentmindedly picking up the plastic cup that still stood before him and taking a sip.

He immediately wished he hadn't, for the sour concoction that Sonny had somehow managed to dream up made him gag. Spitting whatever it was he had just tried to ingest out on the floor, Pete turned a death glare onto Sonny, who did not seem to notice. He was still staring at Nina.

"You okay?" Nina asked, putting a hand on Pete's back as he coughed.

"Yeah," Pete choked out. "I'm good." He wiped his watering eyes and grimaced before straightening up and clearing his throat. "Sonny, never make that shit again."

"What?" Sonny started at the sound of his name and turned wide eyes onto Pete. "What's up?"

"This," Pete said slowly, picking up the cup and shoving it into Sonny's hands. "Never make it again, okay?"

"Oh… okay," Sonny seemed not to hear Pete, and he looked back at Nina, covering his mouth with his hand to stifle a giggle. Pete rolled his eyes; Sonny really did need to get a reality check… or a girlfriend.

Nina looked from Pete to Sonny, obviously unsure of whether she should laugh of not. Pete slung an arm over Nina's shoulders and told her, "Sonny's using me as a guinea pig for slushies."

"Why?" Nina frowned, still smiling and a laugh on the tip of her tongue.

"He wants to–"

"Open a store," Sonny interrupted, yelling so as to cover up what Pete had been about to say. "Yeah… I'm gonna… start my own… slushie… store…" He seemed to lose heart halfway through, obviously realizing what a horrible lie that was. He was tossing the cup between his hands without realizing it was there.

"Right…" Nina obviously did not believe him. Pete knew she was smart enough to realize what was really going on, so he decided now was as good a time as any to give his friend a hand.

"Sonny has a question for you," he said, catching both Sonny and Nina off guard. Sonny gave him a look that clearly said 'I'm going to kill you' whereas Nina just smiled and asked, "Yes?"

Pete removed his arm from Nina's shoulders and gave her a slight push in Sonny's direction, giving him an encouraging smile and the thumbs-up.

"Um," Sonny looked down at his feet, which he shuffled nervously, and his voice cracked as he continued. "Well, there's a… um… I mean, I was wondering if…"

Pete rolled his eyes exasperatingly. Sonny never got this nervous in front of Nina, normally able to drop some half-formed and incredibly corny pickup line that made her laugh and ruffle his hair, telling him 'no thank you' in the kindest way she knew.

"Y'see, our school is having a, um…" Sonny looked over Nina's shoulder at Pete for help, as if asking him to hold up cue cards.

Sighing heavily, Pete jumped in to save him.

"The school dance is on Saturday and Sonny wants to know if you'll go with him," Pete shook his head as he said this, unable to believe that this stammering sixteen year old was the same kid who asked Vanessa out for his cousin a year before.

"Aw, Sonny," Nina took a step closer to him, ruffling his hair like she always did. "Isn't there someone at school you want to go with?"

"Not really," Sonny shrugged, smiling hopefully. "So… will you go with me?"

"Well, Benny and I were going to catch a movie, but I'm sure he won't mind if I catch up with him afterwards," Nina winked, ruffling Sonny's hair again. "See ya later, guys." She winked at Pete as well, smiling as she left the bodega.

Sonny let out a deep breath, his posture sagging. Pete was surprised he hadn't melted into the floor. Shaking his head again, Pete walked over and slapped Sonny over the head.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked, pretending to be cross. "Seriously, man, you can ask out the hottest girl in the barrio for your cousin but you get all tongue-tied when you ask your old babysitter to go to some stupid dance? That's whack, man."

"Sorry," Sonny muttered to the floor, rubbing his head.

"I'm totally kidding," Pete laughed at Sonny's reaction. "Although you do own me a decent slushie for that one."

"How about the one I already made?" Sonny finally realized that he was holding the concoction in his hands and tried to give it back to Pete.

"Did you seriously miss all of what I told you? I told you to never make that shit again."

"That bad?" Sonny sniffed the cup then took a sip himself. Grimacing, he put the cup back on the counter and made gagging noises.

"Yeah," Pete nodded, raising his eyebrows. "Don't you try these first?"

"Most of the time," Sonny shrugged, pitching the cup into the trash bin. "I guess I just… forgot?" He smiled innocently, raising his shoulders and clasping his hands together.

"Sure, whatever…" Pete punched Sonny in the arm just as the bodega's bell tinkled again. He turned, this time to see an exasperated Usnavi enter, carrying three empty boxes.

"Hey Cuz," Sonny immediately dropped his shoulders and waved.

"Hey," Usnavi seemed distracted and did not even acknowledge Pete. He disappeared into the back room, saying something about needing to remember to bring home extra potatoes.

"Vanessa hasn't eaten anything but potatoes in a week," Sonny explained, noticing Pete' blank look. "Must be some weird craving thing."

"Whatever," Pete shrugged.

"Oh dang," Sonny's eyes widened and he grabbed the plastic bag lining the trash bin. Tying a knot in the top, he thrust it into Pete's hands and said, "Do me a favor and throw this out before Usnavi comes back."

"Whatever, man," Pete echoed. "You still owe me, then."

"Okay, just hurry up before he comes back out!"

Pete turned and left the bodega, laughing at the way Sonny's voice cracked. He dropped the bag into one of the larger trash bins outside then turned around, making to go back into the bodega. He opened the door just in time to hear Usnavi call from the back room, "Where'd all the cups go?"

"Catch ya later," Pete said brightly, saluting with two fingers and putting his hood up. He walked away with a slight swagger to his step, feeling pleased with himself. He turned around to look at the bodega before crossing the street, catching sight of Usnavi grab hold of Sonny's wrist as he tried to make a run for it.

Pete chuckled, knowing that Usnavi didn't really care. He just liked to make Sonny think he did.

"Poor little guy," Pete shook his head, knowing how Sonny took everything too literally. The 'walk' light started blinking at him and he crossed the street, whistling to himself.


End file.
